The epithelial cells lining the lumenal side of the GIT are a major barrier to drug delivery following oral administration. However, there are four recognised transport pathways which can be exploited to facilitate drug delivery and transport: the transcellular, paracellular, carrier-mediated and transcytotic transport pathways. The ability of a drug, such as a conventional drug, a peptide, a protein, a macromolecule or a nano- or microparticulate system, to “interact” with one or more of these transport pathways may result in increased delivery of that drug from the GIT to the underlying circulation.
Certain drugs utilise transport systems for nutrients which are located in the apical cell membranes (carrier mediated route). Macromolecules may also be transported across the cells in endocytosed vesicles (transcytosis route). However, many drugs are transported across the intestinal epithelium by passive diffusion either through cells (transcellular route) or between cells (paracellular). Most orally administered drugs are absorbed by passive transport. Drugs which are lipophilic permeate the epithelium by the transcellular route whereas drugs that are hydrophilic are restricted to the paracellular route.
Paracellular pathways occupy less than 0.1% of the total surface area of the intestinal epithelium. Further, tight junctions, which form a continuous belt around the apical part of the cells, restrict permeation between the cells by creating a seal between adjacent cells. Thus, oral absorption of hydrophilic drugs such as peptides can be severely restricted. Other barriers to absorption of drugs may include hydrolysing enzymes in the lumen brush border or in the intestinal epithelial cells, the existence of the aqueous boundary layer on the surface of the epithelial membrane which may provide an additional diffusion barrier, the mucus layer associated with the aqueous boundary layer and the acid microclimate which creates a proton gradient across the apical membrane. Absorption, and ultimately bioavailability, of a drug may also be reduced by other processes such as P-glycoprotein regulated transport of the drug back into the gut lumen and cytochrome P450 metabolism.
Therefore, new strategies for delivering drugs across the GIT cell layers are needed, particularly for hydrophilic drugs including peptides, proteins and macromolecular drugs.
Numerous potential absorption enhancers have been identified. For instance, medium chain glycerides have demonstrated the ability to enhance the absorption of hydrophilic drugs across the intestinal mucosa (Pharm. Res. (1994), 11, 1148-54). However, the importance of chain length and/or composition is unclear and therefore their mechanism of action remains largely unknown. Sodium caprate has been reported to enhance intestinal and colonic drug absorption by the paracellular route (Pharm. Res. (1993) 10, 857-864; Pharm. Res. (1988), 5, 341-346). U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,161 (BASF AG) discloses a process for increasing the enteral absorbability of heparin and heparinoids by adding non-ionic surfactants such as those that can be prepared by reacting ethylene oxide with a fatty acid, a fatty alcohol, an alkylphenol or a sorbitan or glycerol fatty acid ester. U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,130 (Cygnus Therapeutics Systems) discloses a composition which increases the permeability of skin to a transdermally administered pharmacologically active agent formulated with one or more vegetable oils as skin permeation enhancers. Dermal penetration is also known to be enhanced by a range of sodium carboxylates [Int. J. of Pharmaceutics (1994), 108, 141-148]. Additionally, the use of essential oils to enhance bioavailability is known (U.S. Pat. No. 566,386 AvMax Inc. and others). It is taught that the essential oils act to reduce either, or both, cytochrome P450 metabolism and P-glycoprotein regulated transport of the drug out of the blood stream back into the gut.
Often, however, the enhancement of drug absorption correlates with damage to the intestinal wall. Consequently, limitations to the widespread use of GIT enhancers is frequently determined by their potential toxicities and side effects. Additionally and especially with respect to peptide, protein or macromolecular drugs, the “interaction” of the GIT enhancer with one of the transport pathways should be transient or reversible, such as a transient interaction with or opening of tight junctions so as to enhance transport via the paracellular route.
As mentioned above, numerous potential enhancers are known. However, this has not led to a corresponding number of products incorporating enhancers. One such product currently approved for use in Sweden and Japan is the Doktacillin™ suppository [Lindmark et al. Pharmaceutical Research (1997), 14, 930-935]. The suppository comprises ampicillin and the medium chain fatty acid, sodium caprate (C10).
Provision of a solid oral dosage form which would facilitate the administration of a drug together with an enhancer is desirable. The advantages of solid oral dosage forms over other dosage forms include ease of manufacture, the ability to formulate different controlled release and extended release formulations and ease of administration. Administration of drugs in solution form does not readily facilitate control of the profile of drug concentration in the bloodstream. Solid oral dosage forms, on the other hand, are versatile and may be modified, for example, to maximise the extent and duration of drug release and to release a drug according to a therapeutically desirable release profile. There may also be advantages relating to convenience of administration increasing patient compliance and to cost of manufacture associated with solid oral dosage forms.